proph·e·cy
–noun, plural -cies.
1.
the foretelling or prediction of what is to come.
2.
something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation.
3.
a divinely inspired utterance or revelation: oracular prophecies.
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Divinely inspired predictions.
Daniel was given divinely inspired predictions and told to write them down. Jesus referred to Daniel's predictions. We are studying Daniel's predictions in an effort to understand all that our Savior would have us understand.
First we were given an overall picture- the broad picture- the wide view.
Secondly we were given a deeper understanding.
Thirdly we were given an even deeper understanding.
Fourthly … it is safe to say that all through the book of Daniel we are being given more understanding of the future He has planned for us. A future that ultimately ends with us living with Him in a world without any sin, in the purest love ever.
Sin had a beginning, sin will have an end. We have to believe that. We have to believe that we aren't suffering under the curse of sin without any hope. If we truly believed that there was no hope of a life without sin then how depressing life would be. How senseless life would be. If there were no hope then when God sent the flood to destroy all of mankind but 8 people, He would have left the 8 to perish as well. But with the creation of the world, with the creation of humanity there was a plan for our salvation. A great plan that would once and for all and undeniably reveal the depths and horrors of sin and the reason for it to be eradicated. No question would remain anywhere in anyone's mind about God's love and from that love the need for obedience.
Predicting that sin would have an end, that all the earthly kingdoms would be completely destroyed and God's kingdom set up, was a gift to us from God. Unwrapping this wondrous gift and putting the pieces into place as they've been revealed through history is an amazing thing.
Remember how I mentioned we have been putting together a prophecy timeline? Well I'm going to try and set it up for us now in a picture timeline.
This basically shows the things we've studied concerning the prophecies we've found in Daniel.
Yesterday we left off with the realization that our 2300 year prophecy would have it's fulfillment in 1844 AD.
So what happened in 1844? Here's one very remarkable thing--
October 22 – This second date, predicted by the Millerites for the Second Coming of Jesus, leads to the Great Disappointment.
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I say it's remarkable because of this--
Rev 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
We've looked at this Revelation prophecy before. That little book we remarked about then and are going to remark about now is the fact the little book of prophecy that goes hand in hand with Revelation IS the book of Daniel. Now let's read these verses again…
Give me the little book. Help me understand this little prophecy book finally. It's the time of the end, it's been a couple thousand years since the prophecy was given, it is time for understanding. Let me have this and eat it… understand it.
The angel said- Take it and eat it- it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Take it, eat it- it'll make your belly bitter, after you've eaten it you're going to feel sick, but ohhhhhhhhh while you're eating it you'll taste the sweetness of it just like honey.
The ability to suddenly piece together the prophecy of Daniel has hadn't been so fully done before was amazing leading up to the year 1844. There was a great, great movement as more and more people- learned people too not just silly fanatics, not the lunatic fringe, not the feeble minded, not the sad, ignorant people that everyone wants to imagine people who believe in prophecy movements must be. In fact we just recently had a man and his followers predicting the world would end in May of this year 2011 and that didn't happen. People sat back and laughed, they ridiculed these people, the press really gave it to them making them laughing stocks, and yes- those crazy people. At this time in 1844 people weren't aroused to that sort of belief there were many, many believing in this prophecy only it ending up that the understanding of the prophecy was wrong. While William Miller was predicting Christ would come in 1844, and people were believing Him whole-heartedly there was a HUGE disappointment so much so it is known as the Great Disappointment.
'The Great Disappointment was a major event in the history of the Millerite movement, a 19th-century American Christian sect that formed out of the Second Great Awakening. William Miller, a Baptist preacher, proposed based on his interpretations of the prophecies in the book of Daniel (Chapters 8 and 9, especially Dan. 8:14 "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed"), that Jesus Christ would return to the earth during the year 1844. A more specific date, that of October 22, 1844, was preached by Samuel S. Snow. Thousands of followers, some of whom had given away all of their possessions, waited expectantly. When Jesus did not appear, October 22, 1844 became known as the Great Disappointment.'
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This describes PERFECTLY the sweet honey taste of the believe that the Savior was going to come soon to the bitterness in the belly after it is realized that no, this isn't what this prophecy was predicting at all.
Sweet to bitter. A perfect prophetic interpretation of those verses in Revelation.
Rev 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
So this begs the question- what was meant by the 'Sanctuary being cleansed'? Because this is such an amazing prophecy it needs a study all it's own and we'll start that tomorrow.
By the grace of God we will be able to understand more and more and in understanding more and more we will grow ever closer to our Savior. His love is in all these prophecies for us, His amazing love.
By His grace always!!!!
Amen.
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